Lock mechanism



March 30, 1965 R. s. CANTWELL 3,175,376

LOCK MECHANISM Filed July 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 )Pober/ 6. (an/we,

INV EN TOR.

WHANN 8 MCMAN/GAL Affornes for Aff'l March 30, 1965 R. G. CANTWELL3,175,376

LOCK MECHANISM Filed July 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fioer/ G: Can/wellINVENTOR.

WHA/VN a McMAN/GAL Af/orneys far fl l/cam United States Patent ice3,175,376 LOCK MECHANISM Robert G. Cantweli, Sun Valley, Califi,assignor to Adams Rite Manufacturing Company, Glendale, Calih, acorporation of California Filed July '17, 1961, Ser. No. 124,572 8Claims. ({Il. 70-131) The present invention relates generally to locks,and is more particularly concerned with door locks which may be actuatedby a manually operable cam member.

Lock cylinders and cams as presently manufactured and supplied from amultitude of sources may vary materially with respect to the physicalconstruction of such parts as cam length, shape, offset of plug withinthe cylinder body, and the like. These structural difi erences present arather serious and complex problem to lock manufacturers, since mostlock mechanisms are rather critical as to the movements of the partswhich are associated and coact with the lock cylinder mechanism.

Having the foregoing in mind, the present invention has for one objectthe provision of a lock mechanism embodying more flexible means forinterconnecting the lock mechanism and lock cylinder, and which isrelatively unaffected by the usual constructional differences betweenthe lock cylinder arrangements from different suppliers.

A further object is to provide a. single lock structure which will becompatible with lock cylinders and cams supplied: from a variety ofmanufacturers.

A still further object is to provide an improved lock mechanism whereinthe extent of linear movement of the lock bolt will be independent ofthe length of the cam actuator ofan associated lock cylinder unit.

A still further object is to provide an improved lock mechanism having anovel arrangement of parts for providing holdback and deadlockoperations.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide in a lockmechanism of the herein. described character, a linearly movable bolthaving unique dog members cooperable with a keeper inthe extendedposition of the bolt, these dogs being operable in response to boltmovement.

Another and further object of theinvention is to pro vide cam actuatedmembers which may be mountedv on a door frame for actuation on oppositesides. of the frame, these cam vactuated members being interconnectedfor concerted movement and selectively operable toactuate the lockingmechanism.

Further objects of the invention will be brought. out in the followingpart ofthe specification, wherein detailed.

description is for the purpose of fully disclosing several embodimentsof the invention without placing limitations thereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrativepurposes only:

FIG. 1 is. a side elevationaliview of theworking parts ofthe lockmechanism of the present invention, partly in section, and havingportions broken away, and showing the bolt in extended position;

FIG. 2 is.a similar View, showing. the bolt in retracted position;

FIG. 3 is aside elevational view of a modified arrangement, partly insection and having cut away portions to show certain details, andwherein the mechanism is selectively operable from opposite sides of thelock casing;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the same, taken substantiallyon line. i4 of FIGS FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view through thecasing of a lock structure to show the details ofthe. associated partsof another modification according to the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a similar view of still another modification in 3,175,376Patented Mar. 30, 1965 which the basic concepts of the invention are.embodied in a spring latch structure.

Referring now generally to the drawings, for illustrative purposes thelock structure of the present invention is shown as being embodied in anenclosingcasing, as generally indicated by the numeral 10, this casingcompris ing a two part structure which includes one part on which thelock elements are mounted having a side wall 11, and another part in theform of a cover providing aside wall 12, as shown in FIG. 4. One edge ofthe casing is. open and is closed by means of a conventional front plate13 having the usual opening 14 therein through which an end of a boltstructure 15 is linearly movable to extended and retracted positions.

The bolt structure may assume a variety of different physicalembodiments, but in the present instance has been illustrated as beingformed of an elongate strip of material which is deformed to provide aU-shaped member with parallel extending leg portions 16 and 17 which areconnected by a rounded bridging portion 18 at the outermost end of thebolt. The bolt is mounted in the casing for reciprocable movement and isguided in this.

movement by positioning the leg portion 16 in a groove 19 formed on theinner surface of the side wall 11. The bolt structure isthus supportedand guided in its linear movement to extended and retracted positions.

The bolt structure is actuated through a mechanism.

which includes in the caseof the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 a sectorgear 26 which is positioned for oscillatory rotational movement betweenthe leg portion 16 and 17. As shown in FIG. 4, the sector gear 20 has atubular hub 21 which is seated over a boss 22 formed in the side wall11, and which locates the axis of rotation of the. sector gear. The legportion 16 of the bolt. structure, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is providedwith a slot 23 within which the tubular hub 21 is positioned, thuspermitting reciprocable movement of the bolt structure.

The other leg of the bolt structure, leg 1.7, is provided with atransversely extending slot 24 which receives-therethrough an actuatingcrank pin 25 carried by the sector gear. The crank pin 25 and associatedslot 24 are so arranged that in the extended lock position of the boltstructure, the crank pin will have been moved pastthe center line ofmovement of the bolt and thus servest provide over-center dead-lockingofthe bolt in the 452(- tended lock position.

The lock is arranged to be actuated by means of aconventional lockcylinder 26 which. is mounted inconventional manner, as shown in FIG. 4,within an opening 27 formed in the sidewall 11. The innermost end of thelock cylinder is positioned within the casing and contains the usualoffset cylinder plug 23 upon which a cam .29 is mounted for rotation.

A ring gear 30 is supported in concentric relation to the lock cylinder,the gear being provided; as shown in FIG. 4 with an annular flange 31adapted. to seat. within an annular groove 32 formed in the innersurface of the side wall 11. The ring gear thus has a center of rotationcoincident with the center of the lock cylinder, and is provided withteeth 33 throughout a portion of its periphery, and a gap 34 in a wallportion which is devoid of teeth. As shown in FIG. 1, the teeth of thering gear are adapted to mesh with the teeth of the sector gear 20, andthe gap 34 is adapted to receive theouter end of the cam 29 when it isrotated. Dueto. the eccentricity of the axes of rotation of the cam 29and the ring gear 36, the cam will enter the gap 34, when the cam, isrotated. in a clockwise direction and force the ring gear to actuate thebolt structure from an extended position as shown in FIG. 1 to aretracted position as shown in FIG. 2. It will be observed that in boththe extended and retracted positions of the bolt structure, the relativepositions of the 3 gap 34 with respect to the cam positions is such asto permit movement of the cam out of the gap into the interior of thering gear to such an extent that the cam may abut the inner wall of thering gear.

While in the illustrated embodiment, a gap has been utilized in the ringgear, it will be readily appreciated that the same results may beobtained by modified structures, for example, a pin, roller or otherobstruction travelling in a semicircle eccentric to the cylinder plugmight be similarly utilized.

As further shown in FIG. 1, the crank pin is associated with aneccentric shoulder 35 which bears against one end of a spring 36 whichis coiled intermediate its ends around a fixed pin 37 on the boltstructure, the other end of this spring being lodged behind a pin 38carried by the bolt structure. This spring acts to force the crank pin25 towards its limit position at the upper end of the slot 24, andprevent drifting or vibrating of the sector gear out of locked orunlocked condition when the bolt structure is respectively in theextended position and in a retracted position in which the sector gear20 abuts. the pin 38. It will be observed that, after the bolt has beenmoved to fully locked position, or unlocked position, the spring 36 willthen function to further motivate the ring gear 30 to respective limitpositions in which the gap 34 will be moved beyond a position which willpermit the cam 29 to move out of the gap to a position wholly within thering gear. Thus, the lock must be positively locked before the key maybe moved to a position permitting its removal.

It is this construction which provides additional flexibility o andrenders the actuating mechanism substantially unsensitive to differencesin cam length, shape, and offset of the plug within the cylinder body.

The bolt structure of the character disclosed is arranged to extend intoan elongate slot opening of an associated keeper member, and is providedwith automatically operable means for locking the bolt structure inextended position with respect to the associated keeper, such meansbeing automatically responsive to bolt movement. More specifically, asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of dog members 39 are respectivelypivotally mounted between the leg portions 16 and 17 for swingingmovement on pivot pins 40-40. At the ends of the dog members outwardlypositioned with respect to the pivot pins 40, the members are fittedwith right angled end portions 41-41 which are arranged to projectlaterally beyond the edges of the leg portions 16 and 17, when the boltstructure is in extended position. In this position, outwardly extendingprojections 42-42 at the inner ends of the dog members engage theadjacent inner face of the front plate 13 adjacent the opening 14, suchengagement acting during the movement of the bolt structure to itsextended position, to swing the end portions 41-41 outwardly away fromeach other into their locking positions. This movement of the endportions is biased by a spring force operating in the oppositedirection, such force being applied by a spring 43 which has itsopposite ends operatively connected with the dog members and is coiledintermediate its ends around the fixed pin 37.

When the bolt is moved towards retracted position as shown in FIG. 2, bymeans of the actuating mechanism, the spring 43 will automaticallyfunction to move the end portions 4141 toward each other, as theprojections 4242 are moved away from the front plate 13. The dog memberswill move to a stop position as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, whereinit will be observed that the end portions 41-41 will be positionedinwardly of the lateral edges of the leg portions 16 and 17.

The lock arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is arranged for key controlfrom one side only of the door. By modifying the lock arrangement ofFIG. 1, it may be readily adapted for selective key actuation fromopposite sides of the door in which the lock is installed, andparticularly a door having a narrow stile. In the modified arrangement,a second key cylinder 26' is similarly mounted in offset relation to keycylinder 26 in an opening 27' formed in the side wall 12. In a likemanner, a ring gear 30' is mounted with an annular flange 31' thereofbeing seated in an annular groove 32. The elements of the second keyactuator corresponding to those of the first key actuator are identifiedby similar numbers except that they are primed. The ring gear 30' mesheswith a gear 44 and the latter meshes with ring gear 30. In FIG. 3, itwill be noted that the earns 29 and 29 are shown as being positioned inthe associated gaps 34 and 34' respectively which is the position atwhich the cam in each case would begin to move the ring gear as themotion is continued to accomplish movement of the bolt structure toretracted position. Normally, however, the cams will be in a verticalposition to admit of insertion and withdrawal of the actuating key ineach case.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the invention is shown as being incorporated ina simplified modification, wherein the ring gear and sector gear havebeen replaced by a simple eccentric member 45 having a generallycircular opening 46 therein for receiving the lock cylinder 26 therein,this circular opening being offset with respect to the center of themember 45 to provide an axis of rotation coincident with the axis of thekey cylinder. The opening 46 connects with an outwardly displacedopening 47 by means of a gap 48 through which the end of the cam member29 may project to rotate the eccentric member 45 between the positionsat which the eccentric member will be releasably retained by means of aspring detent 49.

In this arrangement, the eccentric member is rotatable within anelongate opening 50 which in this case is formed directly in a boltmember 51 mounted for reciprocable linear movements within a casing 52into extended and retracted positions. In this arrangement, it will benoted that the eccentric 45 is in a position which deadlocks the bolt inits locked position. Also, 360 rotation of the cam 29 will cause lessrotation of the eccentric member 45.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a modified arrangement in theform of a latch having holdback and deadlock features. As shown, thelatch includes a bolt 53 having a substantially rectangular portion 54which is slidably mounted for reciprocable movement within the casingstructure 55, a bow spring 56 positioned between the innermost end ofthe bolt and the adjacent wall of the casing normally operating to biasthe bolt to a latching position.

The rectangular portion 54 is provided with a substantially rectangularopening 57 within which the actuating mechanism is positioned. Theactuating mechanism in this case similarly includes a lock cylinder 26with associated cam 29 similar to that of the structure described withrespect to FIG. 1, the lock cylinder being mounted in the casingstructure in the manner previously described.

In this modification, instead of utilizing a ring gear, a ring member30" is utilized, this member being mounted for rotational movement in amanner similar to that of the ring gear 30, except that the ring 30" ismounted for rotation about an axis having eccentric relation to the axisof the lock cylinder. In this instance, the ring member 30" isconstructed with three gaps 34a, 34b and 340 respectively, these gapsbeing in 120 spaced angular relation. Also, the ring member 30" isprovided with a pair of radially projecting arms 58 and 59, these armsbeing in 60 angular relationship and symmetrically positioned onopposite sides of the gap 340.

Considering now the operation of this modified structure, it will beobserved that in the position shown in FIG. 6, the bolt 53 is free to bemoved to a retracted position and returned to an extended latchingposition by the biasing action of spring 56.

If the cam 29 is now actuated by rotation in a clockwise direction, itsend portion will enter the gap 34a and rotate the ring member throughanangle of 120. This rotational movement will cause the arm 58 to retractand hold back the bolt 53 in its retracted position.

Further clockwiserotation ofthe cam 29 will cause it to enter the gap34c-and rotate-the ring member 3 through a further 120 angle toaposition in which the arm 59 will deadlock the latch-in its extendedposition.

Assuming now that the cam is again rotated in a clockwise direction,it-will enter the gap 34b and return the ring member 30" toits originalposition.

From a study of this arrangement, it will be observed that the cam 29may be operated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction fromany position. Furthermore, this construction may be readily varied as tooperation by providing an additional cam and restricting the gaps as tooperation by these cams. Positive stops may also be utilized to limitrotation of the ring member to something less than 360, if desired.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence, I do notwish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned,except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a lock structure: a movably mounted bolt having an end movable toextended and retracted positions; a manually rotatable cam member; arotatably mounted ring member surrounding said cam member and having anaxis of rotation offset with respect to the axis of rotation of said cammember, said ring member having spaced abutments at one side thereofadapted to receive the end of the cam member therebetween atcircumferentially spaced positions of rotation of said ring, wherebysaid abutments are respectively engageable to move said ring from one ofits circumferential positions to the other; and a motion transmittingconnection between said ring member and bolt for moving the bolt inresponse to said rotational movements of said ring member, and at saidcircumferentially spaced positions of rotation of the ring respectivelyposition said bolt in its extended and retracted positions.

2. In a lock: a casing structure having an opening therein; a boltmounted for movement in said casing and having an end movable toextended and retracted positions through said opening; key-lock meanssupported on a side of said casing including a cylinder, cylinder plugand cam, said cam having an axis of rotation offset with respect to theaxis of said cylinder; a rotatably mounted ring member surrounding saidcylinder having an opening therein defining a pair of spaced abutmentsat one side of the ring adapted to receive the cam member therein atcircumferentially spaced positions of rotation of said cam, engagementof the cam with one of said abutments being operative to rotate the ringin partial rotation in one direction, and engagement with the other torotate the ring in a partial rotation in an opposite direction; and aconnection between said ring member and bolt for moving the bolt inresponse to said partial rotational movements of said ring member to itsextended and retracted positions respectively.

3. In a lock: a casing structure having an opening therein; a boltmounted for movement in said casing and having an end movable toextended and retracted positions through said opening; a manuallyrotatable cam member; a rotatably mounted ring member surrounding saidcam member and having an axis of rotation offset with respect to theaxis of rotation of said cam member, said ring member having abutmentmeans engageable by said cam so as to cause limited rotation of the ringmember; a connection between said ring member and bolt for moving thebolt in response to rotational movements of said ring member; andswingably mounted dogs carried by opposite sides of the outer end ofsaid bolt having parts movable to a position projecting from the boltwhen the bolt is extended, and a non-projecting position when the boltis retracted, said movement of the dogs being responsive to boltmovement.

4. In a lock: a casing structure having an opening therein; a boltmounted for movement in saidcasing and having an end movable to extendedand retracted positions through said opening; a rotatable sector gearhaving a drivingconnection withsaidbolt operative to selectively movesaid bolt to said positions; a rotatable ring gear meshing with saidsector gear, said ring gear having spaced peripheral abutments; and keyoperated means including a cam member positioned in said ring gear forrotation about an axis offset with respect to the ring gear axis ofrotation, the outermost end of said cam being movable into the spacebetween said abutments for engagement therewith.

5. In a look: a casing structure having an opening therein; a boltmounted for movement in said casing and having an end movable toextended and retracted positions through said opening; a rotatablesector gear; a slot and pin connection between said sector gear and boltoperable to deadlock the bolt in extended position; a rotatable ringgear meshing with said sector gear, said ring gear having abutment meansthereon; and key operated means including a cam member positioned insaid ring gear for rotation about an axis offset with respect to thering gear axis of rotation, the outermost end of said cam beingselectively operable in opposite directions into cooperativerelationship with said abutment means for actuating said bolt.

6. In a lock: a casing structure having an opening therein; a boltmounted for movement in said casing and having an end movable toextended and retracted positions through said opening; manually operablefirst cam means rotatably supported on said casing and being manuallyoperable from one side thereof; second cam means spaced from said firstcam means rotatably supported on said casing and being manually operablefrom an opposite side thereof; rotatable ring members respectivelysurrounding said first and second cam means, each of said ring membershaving abutment means engageable by the cam means associated therewith,whereby said rings may be selectively rotated; a motion transmittingconnection between said ring members; and a connection between one ofsaid ring members and said bolt for moving the bolt in response to theselective actuation of said cam means.

7. In a lock: a casing structure having an opening therein; a boltmounted for movement in said casing and having an end movable toextended and retracted positions through said opening; manually operablefirst cam means rotatably supported on said casing and being manuallyoperable from one side thereof; second cam means spaced from said firstcam means rotatably supported on said casing and being manually operablefrom an opposite side thereof; rotatable ring gears respectivelysurrounding said first and second cam means, each of said ring gearshaving abutment means engageable by the cam means associated therewith,whereby said ring gears may be selectively rotated; an idler gearinterconnecting said ring gears for unitary movements; and. a sectorgear meshing with one of said ring gears, said sector gear having acrank pin and slot connection with said bolt, whereby selectiveactuation of said first and second cam means will actuate said bolt.

8. In a lock: a casing structure; a bolt mounted for reciprocablemovements in said casing and having an end movable to extended andretracted positions with respect to said casing, said bolt having atransverse elongate opening therein; manually operable means including arotatable cam member; and means for actuating said bolt to said extendedand retracted positions in response to rotations of said cam memberincluding rotative means having a cylindrical part surrounding the axisof rotation of said cam member and containing adjacently spacedabutments on one side adapted to receive an end portion of said cammember during a portion of its rotation, whereby engagement of the camwith one of said abutments acts to move the cylindrical part in onedirection and engagement with the other abutment to move the cylindricalpart in an opposite direction, and a pivoted eccentric part movable Withsaid cylindrical part positioned in the opening of said bolt, wherebymovement of the eccentric part in response to rotations of saidcylindrical part by said cam member Will operate said bolt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS EberlyNov. 20, 1877 Zeckhauser Dec. 30, 1913 Krarnarczyk Oct. 20, 1914Fletcher Feb. 17, 1920 De Sevo June 20, 1920 Miller Sept. 26, 1922 1Cooper et a1. May 22, 1956 Duvall July 15, 1958

1. IN A LOCK STRUCTURE: A MOVABLY MOUNTED BOLT HAVING AN END MOVABLE TOEXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS; A MANUALLY ROTATABLE CAM MEMBER; AROTATABLY MOUNTED RING MEMBER SURROUNDING SAID CAM MEMBER AND HAVING ANAXIS OF ROTATION OFFSET WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID CAMMEMBER, SAID RING MEMBER HAVING SPACED ABUTMENTS AT ONE SIDE THEREOFADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE END OF THE CAM MEMBER THEREBETWEEN ATCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED POSITIONS OF ROTATION OF SAID RING, WHEREBYSAID ABUTMENTS ARE RESPECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE TO MOVE SAID RING FROM ONE OFITS CIRCUMFERENTIAL POSITIONS TO THE OTHER; AND A MOTION TRANSMITTINGCONNECTION BETWEEN SAID RING MEMBER AND BOLT FOR MOVING THE BOLT INRESPONSE TO SAID ROTATIONAL MOVEMENTS OF SAID RING MEMBER, AND AT SAIDCIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED POSITIONS OF ROTATION OF THE RING RESPECTIVELYPOSITION SAID BOLT IN ITS EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS.